Improvement in preparing zinc from the ores



UNITE TATES HENRY W. ADAMS, OF NEW YORK, 'N. Y.

' IMPROVEMENT IN PREPARING ZINC FROM THE ORES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 9,!45, dated July 27, 1859..

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY W. ADAMS, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and improved process for the manufacturing of metallic zincin the form of a fine powder by the use of steam; and I do herebydecl'are the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

I take anyof the ores of zinc, as the blende' or sulphuret, the silicate or cal-amine, and the oxide of zinc. I mine, sort, calcine, prepare, and reduce these ores in the same manner and by the use of the same machinery and processes of metallurgyas those now in use and more particularly described in scientific books;

into contact with the steam and cooled at once in a state of impalpable powder. This powder is metallic zinc in such a state of perfect comminution of particles as to be mixed with oil and usedas paintwithout any further process. It is of a bluish-white color, unoxidized, and can be either melted or cast intometallic slabs, like thecommon zinc of commerce, or it can be'burned andoxidized in the air, and converted into zinc-whitefor paint. The only con'd, i--

tion necessary to obtain this darkgrayish metallic powderis this :'As zinc melts at about 700 of heat and volatilizes at a stillhigher heat, it is necessary that the temperature-of the steam should be less than the melting- .point ofthe-zinc, so as to cool the volatilized metalinstantly and reduce it to astate of impalpable metallic powder. Otherwise, if the steam be raised to a temperature equal to or above the volatilizing heat of the zinc, another result will take place, which I have already patented-to wit, the oxygen of the steam will combine with the metal and produce white oxide of zinc and liberate hydro gen gas.

The advantageof this process is that it enables me to manufacture metallic zinc from ore ten per cent. cheaper than it has heretofore been done, as a loss of ten per cent. is now sustained in melting and casting the condensed metal into spelter for commercial uses.

Secondly. This metallic powderis worth more. pound for pound than the present zinc of commerce, as it can beimmediately used for paint ing ships bottoms, galvanizing iron, and covering surfaces with a perfect metallic coating. It can also be converted with small expense into zinc-white by sifting it into a wide flatbottomed oven made of fire-til,es,or other suitable materials, raised to a white heat with access of air. The metallic powder is perfectly burned and oxidized in a few minutes with an increase of weight of nineteen pounds to every eighty-one pounds:

This process gives no poor quality of oxide resulting from an imperfect burning, but its particles being in such a state of minute division that when they are brought into contact with the proper heat, with-access of air, the complete oxidation" of every particle takes place in a few minutes. I am therefore enabled to manufacture a commercial product of metallic zinc, ten per .cent. cheaper than has brendone heretofore.

Having thus fully described'the nature of .my invention or discovery, and shown the method in which it may be accomplished,what I claim therein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The process of manufacturing metallic zinc in a state of lmpalpable powder by the cooling agency of steam, substantially in the manner herein set forth.

HENRY .W. ADAMS.

Witnesses:

A. {8. STOUGHTON. B. MoRsELL. 

